Inside TDV - The Data Vault Blog

What is Cloud, Cloud Computing, and Cloud Backup?

Cloud…what is that?

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear someone say the word cloud? A responsive list may look like this: rainy weather, imaginative (interpreting what it looks like), ominous, pretty, etc. We recognize clouds because we have been told about them, seen them, and have experienced them while we were growing up. We understand what a nebulous cloud is even if one person says it looks like an elephant playing the trombone and another says that it looks like a noodle diving in a bowl of spaghetti sauce.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear someone say the word “Cloud”? If you already know the answer, then you understand the concept and its many derivatives. In the mind of others, the idea becomes like a nebulous cloud and they scramble for an interpretation of what it is. To be clear, the problem is rooted in a lack of understanding of the definition. With that problem in mind, let’s focus on three definitions: Cloud, Cloud Computing, and Cloud Backup.

Cloud:

The word Cloud (also phrased as “The Cloud”) is used as a metaphor for “the Internet“ and is derived from the concept of Cloud Computing. The Cloud, then, is a network of servers with each server having a different function. Some servers use computing power to run applications or “deliver a service.” Sending an email to your boss or posting a picture of yourself on social media so your grandma can see is done by using the Cloud. We can look at the Cloud as the way that information is shared.

Cloud Computing:

Cloud Computing is used in a way to denote the sharing of resources, storage, applications, servers, information, or anything that is beyond a local network that can be shared via the Internet. In other words, the sharing of information goes beyond the building that you are in and goes to a Wide Area Network (WAN), which is a network that extends to a large geographical area. We can look at Cloud Computing as the means that information is shared.

In relation to backup as a means of service, the Data Vault uses the hybrid method (one copy on-premise and one copy off-premise) of storing data. Below is a diagram of what that looks like:

What this means is that if something happens to your data through accident or malfeasance, we will have it ready for you to restore quickly through the local backup copy. If the local backup copy is unavailable, the data would be restored from the remote cloud backup copy. This is a surefire way to get critical information restored for our customers when they need it. Not only is it a surefire method of backup, but we consistently monitor our customer’s data and back it up every day. Customers don’t have to worry about us being detached from monitoring or restoring their backups.

If you need an evaluation on your current backup, questions concerning getting a backup, and/or anything else regarding our services, then feel free to contact us through our website or give us a call at 502-244-1151.